Inject Humor into Your Workplace – Without Harming Your Reputation

Can Humor at Work Harm Your Reputation?

The answer is yes…if your workplace is not a “fun-friendly” environment and suffers from “terminal seriousness.” If you are having fun on the job, you might be accused of goofing off, wasting time and not being productive. Your professionalism could be questioned and you could lose the respect of others who think you do not take your job seriously.

Here are four tips to safely unleash your sense of humor on the job:

  • Clearly establish and maintain that you are serious about doing your job in a competent and timely manner.
  • Choose the timing for using humor carefully, so you don’t create inappropriate distractions.
  • Start small and don’t jump in trying to entertain and amuse. Play it safe and introduce your sense of humor gradually by surprising co-workers with something that makes them smile. 
  • Use self-effacing humor to relate to a challenge or disappointment that a co-worker is experiencing.

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